Method for handling blisters or the like



. May 12, 1970 F. P. BROWN, JR 1 3,511,395

METHOD FOR-HANDLING BLISTERS OR THE LIKE Filed April 4, 1968 e Sheets-Sheet 1 w Y INVENTORV A rrop/ aq M y 1970 F. P. BROWN, JR 1,

METHOD FOR HANDLING BLISTERS OR THE LIKE Filed April 4, 1968 s Sheets-Sheet 2 72 E (Z2 I i I W HI INVENTOR. 50 5O @50 PBQQ z Q.

yw g P. BROWN, JR 3,511,395

METHOD FOR HANDLING BLISTERS OR THE LIKE May 12, 1970 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April-4, 1968 m T m V m FIFED 5/FOk/Aj BY May 12, 1910 F. P. BROWN, JR

METHOD FOR HANDLING BLISTERS OR THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 4, 1968 INVEYvTOP 9 0 590k; 19. BY 7 Z 4 QQ/YQ'S May 12, 1970 F. P. BROWN; JR 3,511,395

I METHOD FOR HANDLING BLISTERS OR THE LIKE Filed April 4. 1968 s Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR. 5- F? 5 ?014/6 rile.

May 12, I970 F. P. BROWN, JR

I METHOD FOR HANDLING BLISTERS OR THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 4, 1968 1x VEVIOR. FE0 P 590mg de. 8)" Z 5 qz-rop/vsys United States Patent O US. Cl. 214-152 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine and method for destacking a storage magazine containing items such as cards, blisters or the like used in the packaging industry in a predetermined manner. The machine and method of operation requires that a pickup carrier, follow an eccentric path of movement in a controllable arc, in removing cards blisters and the like from a storage position and placing them in a work position. Here, a pickup carrier device rotates about a keyed shaft in a manner so as to first remove a packaging blister from its storage magazine and then rotate the blister about an eccentric aXis so as to be in a position to deposit the blister in a plane, different than the plane, from which it was removed. The stroke of the pickup carrier device is adjustable for use with a wide range of different types of blisters as well as similar blisters with different depths of indentation.

FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a machine and method for handling material used in the packaging and merchandising art. More particularly the invention involves handling packaging cards, blisters, or the like from a storage container to a predetermined working position.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART It is frequently necessary to handle many different sizes and configurations of blisters, but conventional apparatus requires costly and time consuming changes and in many cases a new apparatus each time a new and different blister is employed in order to accommodate the new and different blister. This invention allows for an easy interchanging of parts as well as a wide degree of adjustability of these parts with minimum of time, effort and downtime for a machine capable of handling Various types of blisters. In the past, conventional handling apparatus of cards and blisters has been restricted to handling one type of item, since the movement of the apparatus used to remove the item was limited to a particular path of movement. In applicants invention, however, an adjustable handling device with an adjustable eccentric path of movement are combined toprovide the flexibility and capability necessary for handling items of wide and variable shapes and configurations.

Heretofore various devices have been advanced for performing this type of operation such as the carton handling machine claimed in Pat. No. 3,127,027, however, they have all been limited in applicability due to their complexity, difficulty of operation and restrictions to the type of items that might be handled. In particular, the industry has experienced difficulty when it is necessary to remove blisters of the same type but of different depths of indentation. While a shallow type blister might be removable, difficulty has been experienced when removing the deep type of blister due to the additional compensation which must be provided in order to avoid interference between the blister being removed and the chutes of the storage magazine.

Blister packaging is becoming increasingly popular as 3,511,395 Patented May 12, 1970 a means for merchandising products, for it affords both protection and ease of visibility of the contents therein. Despite the popularity of this type of merchandising, relatively little has been done to automate the handling and processing of blisters. This has been particularly true when multiple types of blisters are needed.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention provides a method of operation and an apparatus that allows one machine to handle a variety of blister types with ease of adjustment while handling blisters of different size and depth of indentation. The novel and unique features of this invention include providing for the eccentric fulcrum point or the adjustment of the position of a blister pick up carrier means, which thereby allows wide flexibility in the use and operation of an automatic machine for handling blisters.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for handling cards, packaging blisters or the like.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a novel blister handling machine employing an eccentric fulcrum point having an eccentric movement wherein a blister or the like may be moved from one reference plane to another reference plane.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an eccentric operation that will move blisters or the like from a stored position to a working position with the additional capability of being adjustable to accommodate various types and sizes of blisters as well as to accommodate for various depths of indentation of the same type blister.

It is also a further object of this invention to provide a method of operation for moving various packaging material such as cards or blisters from a storage position about an eccentric fulcrum point and delivering the packaging material to a new position without interfering with the storage position apparatus.

In accordance with this invention, a pick up carrier such as one with a vacuum operation head is caused to engage a packaging blister in such a manner as to cause the blister to move with the pick up carrier. The carrier is then rotated about a fulcrum point that is eccentric which allows even a blister of extreme depth of indentation to be freely removed and rotated. The eccentric movement causes the pick up carrier to deliver and position the blister in a pre-determined position such as on an indexing conveyor, a moving conveyor line, or a rotating work bench.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the figures thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a fragmentary perspective view of the eccentric movement.

FIG. 3 shows a fragmentary view partly in a vertical section and partly in front elevation of a portion of the eccentric movement.

FIG. 4 shows a fragmentary perspective of a part of the blister handling apparatus.

FIG. 5 shows a vertical section view of the eccentric movement at the beginning of the blister handling cycle wherein the vacuum pickup is removing a blister from the magazine.

FIG. 6 shows a vertical section view of the eccentric movement in a mid position of the blister handling cycle for removing a blister.

FIG. 7 shows a vertical section of the eccentric movement in the deposit position of the blister handling cycle wherein the vacuum pick up is depositing a blister on a conveyor line.

FIG. 8 shows an fragmentary perspective view of the guide rod pivot.

FIG. 9 depicts a motion diagram showing several posi tions of the guide rod pivot during a blister handling cycle.

FIG. 10 shows an enlarged perspective view partly in section of the vacuum pickup carrier and blister.

FIG. 11 shows a fragmentary vertical section showing the vacuum pickup removing a blister from the magazine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, a destacking and blister handling machine is generally shown at 12 for removing cards, blisters or the like 14 from a storage magazine 16. In this apparatus the size, shape, depth and form of the blister is determined by the product to be packaged. Magazine 16 is provided with several chutes 18 for feeding blisters or the like into the machine. The blisters 14 are removed from the chutes by pickup carrier head 20 that may then be rotated about main shaft 22 by carriage arms 24 and 25 so as to be in a position to deposit the blister 14 on a conveyor belt or assembly line 26.

Machine 12 also includes a source of power and timing circuit together with a pump and hydraulic system which is generally indicated at 28 and is mounted on the main frame 30 of the destacking and blister handling apparatus. It is to be appreciated that the apparatus of 28 is conventional and that a variety of other apparatus could also be employed. For this reason apparatus 28 has not been shown in detail.

Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it can be seen that the pickup carrier heads 20 are mounted on a carriage bar 32 by means of an adjustable mounting block 34 and a pickup carrier rod 36. Pickup rod 36 may be adjusted in length by nuts 38 and 40 as can be more clearly seen in FIG. 5.

Also shown in FIG. 2 is the air cylinder 42 attached to frame 30 by means of a U-shaped bracket 44. Cylinder 42 is then connected to shaft 22 by means of yoke-type piston arm 46 and link arm 48 thereby imparting reciprocating motion to shaft 22. Shaft 22 is mounted on frame 30 by brackets 50 and 51.

The carriage bar 32 shown with pickup carrier heads 20 is mounted so as to rotate about shaft 22 and a movable guide block 52 as seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 8. Guide block 52 is connected to the carriage bar 32 by means of guide rod 54 which is attached to carriage bar 32 by pin 56 extending through carriage arm 25 as seen in FIG. 4. Also at the other end of carriage bar 32 pin 56 attaches carriage arm 24 to the bar thereby allowing carriage bar 32 to pivot about arms 24 and 25.

In operation, guide rod 54 slides within an opening in guide block 52 so as to cause carriage bar 32 to also rotate about guide block 52. Driven gear 62 is fixedly attached to hub 64. The opening for shaft 60 is eccentric in hub 64. Block 52 and the snap ring together retain gear 62 and hub 64. Hub 64 is pivotally mounted in frame 30. With this arrangement shaft 60 causes guide block 52 to move in an eccentric path about an axis passing through the center of hub 64 when the latter is rotated. It should be readily appreciated that a variety of clutch devices could also be employed to attach guide block 52 to hub 64 so long as a predetermined throw can be obtained and wherein the throw can be selected to enable the maximum degree of eccentricity to be obtained.

Gear 62 which causes hub 64 to rotate is driven by gear 70, which in turn, is actuated by geared lever arm 72 (FIG. 4). Sector gear 72 is driven by the same shaft 22 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 that carries carriage arms 24 and 25 and has a radius of arc movement of approximately 60. It should now become readily apparent that the rotation of shaft 22 will cause the rotation of hub 64 by virtue of the mechanical linkage of driven gear 62, gear and sector gear 72. It should also be appreciated that the diameter of the respective gears will vary the degree of rotation of the related parts. In this invention gears 62, 70 and 72 are associated so that a 60 arc of rotation by sector gear 72 will cause a 300 arc of rotation for gear 62 and hub 64.

An example of the eccentricity path provided by this invention is more clearly shown in FIG. 9. Here in FIG. 9 a motion diagram is shown for 3 positions during a cycle of operation for moving and handling packaging blisters. As shown in FIG. 9, the position indicated by a indicates the relative position of the shaft 60 and carriage arm 25. In position a blister 12 is being picked up by the carrier head 20. This can be more clearly seen in detail in FIG. 5. In position b carriage arm 25 has moved counterclockwise through part of its cycle causing hub 64 carrying eccentrically mounted shaft 60 to totate counterclockwise and thereby causing the carriage bar 32 together with pickup carrier head 20 and blister 14 to move away from storage magazine 16. At this stage of the cycle, carriage bar 32 is moving counterclockwise in the same direction as key 60 and arm 25. In position c hub 64 has moved counterclockwise and shaft 60 has completed partial clockwise rotation in the hub. Carriage arm 25 and carriage bar 32 has moved to a position in which pickup carrier head 20 can deposit blister 14. While shaft 60 and carriage arm 25 had moved continuously in a counterclockwise position, the counterclockwise movement of carriage bar 32 has changed to a clockwise movement due to the eccentric path of move ment that is imparted to bar 32 by guide rod 54 pivoting about key d so as to provide a variable fulcrum point.

In FIG. 5 piston arm 46 is beginning its initial stroke which causes main shaft 22 and lever arm 72 to rotate counterclockwise, which, in turn, causes carriage bar 32 to rotate about shaft 22, pin 56 and shaft 60 in the said direction.

In FIG. 6 piston arm 46 has moved to a position midway through its first stroke and carriage bar 32 has begun to move in a clockwise direction while shaft 60 and carriage arm 25 continue to move in a counterclockwise direction.

In FIG. 7 piston arm 46 has completed its first stroke, and shaft 22 and shaft 60 are midway in their respective rotational cycle. At this point pickup carrier head 20 and blister 12 have reached a position wherein blister 12 may be deposited on an assembly line 26. After depositing blister 14, piston arm 46 completes a second stroke which causes the various parts of the machine to move back to their original position whereby pickup carrier head 20 is returned to its initial position ready to engage another blister.

The operation of the assembly line and eccentric movement of the pickup carrier head 20 is synchronized so as to assure synchronous operation of the respective elements. Of course, it is to be appreciated that the machine can also be synchronized so that multiple pickup carrier heads 20 can be operated at the same time.

Mounting block 34 can be positioned at various points along the length of carriage bar 32 by adjusting the setting of bolt 74 and moving it to a predetermined position in slot 76. This can be clearly seen in FIGS. 4 and 5.

A vacuum-type pickup carrier head 20 as depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11 has been found to provide excellent results. The vacuum pickup carriage head 20 has been machined or molded to conform to the configuration of blister 14 whereby a front face plate 78 has been designed to conform to the indentation configuration of blister 14.

The pickup carrier head also comprises a back plate 80 with a resilient rubber gasket means 82 interdisposed between back plate 80 and the front face plate 78. Located along the edges of front face plate 78 are air intake openings 84 which connect with a main chamber 86, which, in turn, is connected to a threaded neck piece 88. A neck piece 88 is connected by a flexible hose line 90 to a vacuum manifold 92 which, inturn, is connected to the hydraulic system 28 at joint 94.

In the operation of this blister handling machine, a pickup carrier head 20 with a face plate designed to substantially conform to the identation of a blister 14 is initially positioned adjacent and in front of an opening of a chute 18 magazine 16. Upon the initial movement of piston arm 46 and sector gear 72, the pickup carrier head 20 is then brought into engagement with the indentation of blister 14. The vacuum manifold 92 is synchronized to operate when the pickup carrier head 20 engages a blister 14 thereby causing air between face plate 78 and blister 14 to be removed through air intake openings 84, chamber 86 and line 90. This causes a vacuum to develop between the face plate 78 and the sides of the blister to be pulled toward the face plate. Due to the vacuum created, blister 14 will adhere to the face plate 78 of pickup carrier 20 and can thus be readily removed from the stack of blisters and the chutes 18 of storage container magazine 16.

As piston arm 46 and sector gear 72 continue in their respective movement (as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 6) carriage bar 32 upon which pickup carrier head 20 is attached is caused to move in an arc controllable by guide block 52. Initially the pickup head 20 moves away from the point at which it engaged blister 14. By a proper choice of rod lengths and the maximum degree of eccentricity, a blister can be removed from chute 18 past the flexible retaining clip 96. Due to the variable fulcrum point of the eccentric apparatus even a blister with a deep identation can be removed without striking the ends of the chute openings.

As piston arm 46 continues its initial stroke and sector :gear 72 continues through its rotational path, shaft 60 travels about its eccentric path thereby communicating an arcuate but eccentric motion to guide block 52. Guide rod 54 which controls the movement of carriage bar 32 has its movement controlled by guide block 52. Guide rod 54 being freely movable in guide block 52, describes a path of movement for carriage bar 32 that causes a rotational arc about a longitudinal axis that passes through pins 56 and 57, whereby when piston arm 46 has completed its first stroke carriage bar 32 has moved first counterclockwise and then clockwise to a position where pickup carrier head 20 may release and deposit blister 14. At this point in the blister handling operation, a blister 14 has been removed from a horizontal plane passing through the front of the storage container and deposited in a vertical plane passing through the work position while the eccentric movement itself operates in a single vertical plane passing through the end of the machine.

After passing through the above cycle of operation so that the pickup carriage head is rotated to a depositing position as shown in FIG. 7, vacuum manifold 92 terminates the vacuum between front face plate 78 and the inside walls of the indentation of blister 14, causing blister 14 to be deposited on assembly line 26.

When piston arm 46 completes its cycle by returning to its initial position, sector gear 72 will rotate back to its original position (as indicated by arrows in FIG. 7). The rotation of sector gear 72, in turn, causes eccentric key 60 to return to its original position. Since carriage bar 32 is controlled by the movement of piston arm 46 and its rotational path controlled by guide block 52, carriage bar 32 retraces its rotational path and returns to its initial position. Shaft or pin 60 and carriage arm 25 move in a clockwise direction, while carriage bar 32 moves first clockwise then counterclockwise and finally. clockwise in the return cycle.

In operation the eccentric movement as shown in FIG. 9 causes the effective length ofguide rod 54 to be constantly changed, with the range of variation being controlled by the throw of the eccentric.

As a result of the design of the equipment the maximum distance of the shaft 60 from the geometrical center of hub 64 is obtained and thus the maximum throw of the shaft 60. By adjusting the length of the pickup rod 36, the pickup carrier head can be operated and rotated in a plurality of different paths of movement relative to the magazine 16. By adjusting mounting block 34 the pickup carriage heads can also be adjusted to operate on a plurality of different chutes, thus providing an extremely flexible handling apparatus with large capability for operation.

Although the above-described apparatus and method have been illustrated in their use as means for handling blisters, it is to be understood that the machine can be used to transfer other articles such as cards or the like from one position such as a storage position to another position such as a work or utilizing position.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachlngs.

What I claim is:

1. A method of removing a packaging blister from the end portion of a stack of blisters and placing the removed blister in a predetermined location by means of a rotatable arm having a pickup member pivotally mounted thereto comprising the steps of (a) initially rotating the arm having the pickup member pivotally mounted thereto in a first direction toward the stack of blisters;

(b) maintaining the pickup member in a substantially fixed angular position with respect to the stack of blisters as the pickup member is moved adjacent to the stack of blisters along a substantially straight line coincident with the longitudinal axis of the stack of blisters, the pickup member being maintained in the substantially fixed position by simultaneously pivoting the pickup member about the rotating arm with a predetermined motion relative to the rotating arm opposite to the first direction;

(0) engaging the blister at the end portion of the stack of blisters with the pickup member;

((1) rotating the arm in a second direction opposite to the first direction and away from the stack of blisters;

(e) maintaining the pickup member in a substantially fixed angular position with respect to the stack of blisters as the pickup member is initially moved away from the stack of blisters along a substantially straight line coincident with the longitudinal axis of the stack of blisters, the pickup member being maintained in the substantially fixed position by simultaneously pivoting the pickup member about the rotating arm with a predetermined motion relative to the rotating arm opposite to the second direction, the motion of the pickup member removing the engaged blister directly from the stack of blisters;

(f) further pivoting the Withdrawn pickup member in a direction opposite the second direction about the arm rotating in the second direction to bring the pickup member and the engaged blister to adjacent the predetermined location; and

(g) operating the pickup member to deposit the blister at the predetermined location.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the steps of maintaining the pickup member in a substantially fixed angular position further includes the step of engaging the pickup member in an eccentric manner.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the steps of maintaining the pickup member in a substantially fixed angular position further includes moving the pickup member with respect to a fulcrum point connected theret0.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which the vacuum pickup head when depositing the blister at step of further pivoting the withdrawn pickup member the predetermined location. includes moving the pickup member with respect to a fulcrum point connected thereto in a direction opposite R feren s C t to the rotation of the arm to bring the pickup member 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS and the engaged bllster to ad acent the predetermined 3 386 558 4/1968 Benatar location.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the 3 1 221-211 X steps of maintaining the pickup member in a substantially 155 6/1966 221 36 fixed angular position further includes rotating the pick- 10 epp er up member about a fixed shaft in an eccentric manner.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which the GERALD FORLENZA Pnmary Exammer blister pickup member includes a vacuum pickup head, G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner the method comprising the additional steps of:

(a) applying vacuum between the vacuum pickup 15 Cl- X-R- head and the blister; and 221 262 (b) releasing the vacuum between the blister and the 

